Hospice’s Camp Amanda – A Healing Place.

Posted on June 22, 2012 by admin

by Elise Pettyjohn

“Camp Amanda makes you feel more normal. It helps relieve your fears,” according to a camper who now serves as a counselor. Camp Amanda is a three-day uplifting experience located in the beautiful Blue Mountains.

This camp provides grieving children an opportunity to learn that they are not alone in their grief. In addition, Camp Amanda and its staff offer an encouraging environment where children feel comfortable sharing their feelings and beginning the journey through the grieving process.

Each year Camp Amanda impacts the lives of children dealing with the loss of a loved one. According to a parent of a camper, “My kids seemed more happy, like a weight had been lifted off their shoulders.”

Camp Amanda is just one of the exceptional programs that Walla Walla Community Hospice offers. For a number of years, Blue Mountain Community Foundation has supported Walla Walla Community Hospice with critical ongoing financial assistance. Annual support from the Blue Mountain Community Foundation helps fund Hospice’s mission of providing compassionate care for patients nearing the end of their lives.

A fourth grade Camp Amanda attendee recently shared with a classmate attending the camp this coming year that, “It’s the greatest place, you’ll love it there!” Each year approximately thirty children ages seven to fourteen, along with thirty counselors, attend Camp Amanda.

A key factor in Camp Amanda’s success is the counselor to camper ratio, which is one to one. This ratio builds stronger relationships between the campers and their counselors along with providing a person who is always available for the child to talk to. These trained counselors offer a comfortable, friendly atmosphere to support children as they attempt to understand and accept the death of a family member while enjoying their time camping.

Some of the activities provided at this unique camp include crafts, campfire sing-a-longs, games, and swimming among other fun pastimes. In addition to the successful Camp Amanda program, Walla Walla Community Hospice offers end of life medical care for patients suffering from a variety of illnesses including AIDS, Alzheimer’s and cancer. Hospice also provides adult grief support services including counseling and workplace support groups. Hospice fills an essential need in the community by providing specialized care that focuses on the patient and their emotional, spiritual and physical needs.

Walla Walla County releases 2012 homelessness Counts

Posted on June 14, 2012 by admin

Susan Kralman, Homelessness/Poverty Response & Grant Coordinator for Walla Walla County Department of Human Services released 2012 data for the annual Point-in-Time Survey on homelessness. The survey attempts to assess at nearly the same point each year the total number of people who are homeless along with other information. In addition to the 2012 Counts, here is a comparison to past years. What does the data say to you?

Columbia and Dayton High Schools Scholarship Recipients!

Posted on June 13, 2012 by admin

The Board of Trustees of Blue Mountain Community Foundation recently approved over $338,500 in scholarships to graduating high school seniors and college students!

The BMCF Scholarship Program awards both need-based and special requirement scholarships. The Foundation’s Scholarship Committee reviews applications and makes recommendations to the BMCF Board of Trustees for approval. Additional scholarships are awarded from BMCF component funds according to criteria established by fund donors.

Over the course of the next few days we will announce the recipients from area high schools. Congratulations!

The scholarship recipients from Columbia and Dayton High Schools are:

Name	College	Scholarship Fund	Amount
Columbia High School
Shelbe R Ward	Eastern Washington University	William and Delora Harpe Scholarship Fund	$ 1,000.00
Dayton High School
Alexander K Eaton	Walla Walla Community College	John Israel Scholarship Fund	$ 500.00
Darci Hall	Walla Walla Community College	John Israel Scholarship Fund	$ 500.00
April Davis	Walla Walla Community College	John Israel Scholarship Fund	$ 500.00
Alexander K Eaton	Walla Walla Community College	Jim Kibler Agriculture Scholarship	$ 640.00
Garett G Turner	Walla Walla Community College	John Israel Scholarship Fund	$ 800.00
Carter Currin	Gonzaga University	John Israel Scholarship Fund	$ 800.00
Garett G Turner	Walla Walla Community College	Ralph and Elsa Emigh Fund	$ 845.00
Keisha Phillips	University of Washington	Ralph and Elsa Emigh Fund	$ 845.00
Colleen Delp	Washington State University	John Israel Scholarship Fund	$ 1,000.00
Keisha Phillips	University of Washington	John Israel Scholarship Fund	$ 1,000.00
Carter Currin	Gonzaga University	Ralph and Elsa Emigh Fund	$ 1,530.00

Blue Mountain Community Foundation Awards over $338,500 in College Scholarships!

Posted on June 12, 2012 by admin

The Board of Trustees of Blue Mountain Community Foundation recently approved over $338,500 in scholarships to graduating high school seniors and college students!

Over the course of the next few days we will announce the recipients from area high schools. Congratulations!

The scholarship recipients from Walla Walla High School are:

Name	College	Fund	Amount
Cristina Sosa	Eastern Washington University	Kenneth Garner Scholarship Fund	$ 4,200.00
Matthew J Rothstrom	Washington State University	Kenneth Garner Scholarship Endowment Fund	$ 3,200.00
Chelsea Cavazos	Western Washington University	Earl and Lucille Blake Scholarship Fund	$ 3,200.00
Erika E Torres	University of Washington	Roberta Bell Kraemer Scholarship Fund	$ 3,000.00
Lara Ana Andrade	Walla Walla Community College	Ralph and Elsa Emigh Fund	$ 2,700.00
Jocelyn Vargas	Stanford University	Roberta Bell Kraemer Scholarship Fund	$ 2,700.00
Itsel Corona	Washington State University	Earl and Lucille Blake Scholarship Fund	$ 2,500.00
Soriano Cynthia Jara	University of Washington	Ralph and Elsa Emigh Fund	$ 2,200.00
Lucero Garcia	Walla Walla University	Earl and Lucille Blake Scholarship Fund	$ 2,200.00
Clara Lara-Diaz	Walla Walla Community College	T.B. Elliott Student Scholarship Loan Fund	$ 1,900.00
Yvonne Segovia	Eastern Washington University	Roberta Bell Kraemer Scholarship Fund	$ 1,800.00
Kory L Handley	Walla Walla Community College	T.B. Elliott Student Scholarship Loan Fund	$ 1,800.00
Ivette Perales	Walla Walla Community College	Kenneth Garner Scholarship Endowment Fund	$ 1,800.00
David Woodrow-Salazar	Walla Walla Community College	Roberta Bell Kraemer Scholarship Fund	$ 1,800.00
Claudia Perez	Walla Walla Community College	Kenneth Garner Scholarship Endowment Fund	$ 1,800.00
Brenda Robles	Walla Walla University	Kenneth Garner Scholarship Endowment Fund	$ 1,800.00
Ashley Stephenson	Whitman College	Kenneth Garner Scholarship Fund	$ 1,800.00
Alexi R Storm	Washington State University	Kenneth Garner Scholarship Fund	$ 1,800.00
Aaron Gogl	University of California, Berkeley	Roberta Bell Kraemer Scholarship Fund	$ 1,800.00
Giovan Ruiz	University of Washington	Roberta Bell Kraemer Scholarship Fund	$ 1,700.00
Bridon K Maiden	Victoria’s Academy of Cosmetology	Howard and Pearl Burgess Scholarship Fund	$ 1,700.00
Jorge Velez	Walla Walla Community College	Roberta Bell Kraemer Scholarship Fund	$ 1,600.00
Tabitha Jones	Arizona State University	Roberta Bell Kraemer Scholarship Fund	$ 1,500.00
Stephanie Maldonado-Salgado	Walla Walla Community College	William E. and Mary G. Falconer Scholarship Fund	$ 1,500.00
Mackenzie Clifton	Cornish College of the Arts	Earl and Lucille Blake Scholarship Fund	$ 1,500.00
Itzel Lopez	Eastern Washington University	Ralph and Elsa Emigh Fund	$ 1,500.00
Guillermina Santiago	Walla Walla Community College	Kenneth Garner Scholarship Endowment Fund	$ 1,500.00
Daniela C Villa	Walla Walla University	Roberta Bell Kraemer Scholarship Fund	$ 1,500.00
Andrea Ortiz	Eastern Washington University	William E. and Mary G. Falconer Scholarship Fund	$ 1,500.00
Miranda Freeman	University of Washington	Roberta Bell Kraemer Scholarship Fund	$ 1,400.00
Marlenne Fernandez	Walla Walla Community College	Earl and Lucille Blake Scholarship Fund	$ 1,400.00
Leonardo Pedroza	Walla Walla Community College	Kenneth Garner Scholarship Endowment Fund	$ 1,400.00
Max I Troin	Walla Walla Community College	Roberta Bell Kraemer Scholarship Fund	$ 1,200.00
Estrella Ramirez	Walla Walla Community College	Kenneth Garner Scholarship Endowment Fund	$ 1,200.00
Irma Pena	Walla Walla Community College	Roberta Bell Kraemer Scholarship Fund	$ 1,100.00
Sean Hollenbeck	University of Washington	Larry Jay Brittain Memorial Fund	$ 1,000.00
Samantha E Lizardi	Mesa Community College	William E. and Mary G. Falconer Scholarship Fund	$ 1,000.00
Ana C Diaz	Spokane Community College	Earl and Lucille Blake Scholarship Fund	$ 1,000.00
Carlos Leon	Walla Walla Community College	Roberta Bell Kraemer Scholarship Fund	$ 900.00
Amy N Sinden	Trinity International University	Ralph and Elsa Emigh Fund	$ 895.00
Robert R Gordon	Moody Bible Institute	Ralph and Elsa Emigh Fund	$ 845.00
Jonathon Klem	Whitman College	Ralph and Elsa Emigh Fund	$ 845.00
Leslie Perez	Walla Walla Community College	Kenneth Garner Scholarship Endowment Fund	$ 800.00
Isela Arias	Walla Walla Community College	Roberta Bell Kraemer Scholarship Fund	$ 800.00
Andrew Hoffman	St. Olaf College	Bayne Family Scholarship Fund	$ 720.00
Nick Peasley	Central Washington University	Mick Blackburn Memorial Basketball Scholarship	$ 500.00
Andrea Hamada	San Diego State University	Mick Blackburn Memorial Basketball Scholarship	$ 500.00
Amairany Alvarado	Walla Walla Community College	Ralph R. Bennett and Mary Ellen Bennett Scholarship Fund	$ 500.00
Marcos Medina	Gonzaga University	Ann Weatherill Memorial Scholarship Fund	$ 440.00
Manuel Franco	Walla Walla Community College	Roberta Bell Kraemer Scholarship Fund	$ 300.00
Alyssa Banks	Spokane Falls Community College	Earl and Lucille Blake Scholarship Fund	$ 300.00
Jessica Fuquay	Mesa Community College	Earl and Lucille Blake Scholarship Fund	$ 300.00